


It's Time

by tehfanglyfish



Series: With You [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Canon Era, Childbirth, Deviates From Canon, Established Relationship, Good Morgana (Merlin), I Will Build Arthur the Family He Deserved, In This AU Morgana Never Went Evil, M/M, Marriage, Marriage Proposal, Morgana is Tired of Arthur's Shit, Pregnancy, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), References to Perwaine, Sharing a Bed, Warm and Fuzzy Feelings, Worried Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-24
Updated: 2019-08-24
Packaged: 2020-09-25 20:45:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20377843
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tehfanglyfish/pseuds/tehfanglyfish
Summary: The magic ban has been lifted, Arthur and Merlin's relationship is progressing, and an expectant Morgana has happily returned to Camelot to have her baby, even if it means putting up with her overprotective brother. Arthur finally gets around to asking Merlin an important question and Gwaine steps up in an incredibly noble way. Feelings are had by all.Set after the events inMy Place is With You, though it can also be read as a standalone fic.





	It's Time

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the love of the characters and never for money.

It had been a busy day – the kind that kept Merlin running from one end of the castle to the other helping Arthur and Gaius. The sun had long since set when he’d finally made it to bed, his body sinking with relief into the mattress. Sleep had almost claimed him when Arthur’s voice cut through the silence of the room they now shared.

“I think we should move Gaius closer to Morgana’s chambers for the next month. There’s an open room just down the hall and…”

Merlin sighed. While Arthur had grown more confident in his role as king over the past few months, Morgana’s return to Camelot had led to a new set of anxieties. As he’d been doing for months now, Merlin spent his nights in Arthur’s bed, reassuring the king when he was filled with worry. Though the nature of their relationship had recently changed, Arthur still relied on Merlin’s counsel as he had for years.

“You do realize that you’ll have to fight them both to make that happen. Gaius won’t want to move all of his herbs and equipment, plus you’ve already pushed Morgana’s patience to the limit with how you’ve meddled in her…”

“I haven’t meddled. She’s my sister and she’s out of control. Someone has to do something about it. I don’t see why she can’t just stay in bed like I suggested. It’s not good for a person in her condition to be out taking risks. Today she was…”

“She was walking the ramparts.” Merlin cut Arthur off, not wanting to relive the argument between the Pendragon siblings from that afternoon. “It was hardly dangerous, as Gwaine and Percival were with her the whole time. And Gaius said that the exercise and fresh air were good for her. There’s no medical reason for her to be on bedrest.”

“It’s just like the lot of you to take her side. At least the other knights were willing to listen to reason and…”

“The other knights don’t want to be in the middle of it, but that doesn’t mean they agree with you. They just remember what happened with you and Gwen.”

“Yes about that. Will you please tell Guinevere that I’m sorry for what I said about women’s frail bodies? I thought after two weeks she’d let it go but apparently not. At least the bruise on my shin has finally healed. I didn’t know she could kick that hard.”

“I think you need to deliver that apology in person for it to have the desired effect.”

“Yes, well, how can I apologize if she won’t speak to me?”

“I’m sure you’ll figure something out. Flowers, a new scarf, and a day off might be good places to start.”

Arthur huffed and rolled over to face the wall. Merlin silently counted to fifty as he waited to see if a retort was coming. When it became clear that one wasn’t, he crossed the distance of Arthur’s bed – or rather their bed – Merlin still hadn’t fully adjusted to that change. Curling behind the king, he wrapped an arm around Arthur’s chest to pull him tight.

“I know you’re worried about Morgana. Gaius says that she and the child are both strong and healthy, and that her pregnancy is progressing well. Women have babies all the time…”

“But what if something goes wrong and…?”

There it was – the fear that drove so much of Arthur’s recent behavior. Tightening his hold, Merlin pressed a gentle kiss against the nape of Arthur’s neck.

“Then Gaius and the midwife will be close by. Arthur, it won’t be the same as with your mother. There’s been no meddling with ancient magic or the Old Religion. You’ll probably cause harm if you upset Morgana so let her go for her walks and…”

“But Morgana has magic and…”

“Right, but she didn’t use it to conceive the baby. She went with the, um, traditional method.”

“If that’s true, then where is the father? I sent riders to every Druid encampment throughout the five kingdoms and he never came forward. It doesn’t make sense that a man would just abandon the woman carrying his child. She must have used magic.”

“Arthur, men do it all the time. My own father left, and while it turned out that he had a good reason, my mother wasn’t the only woman in Ealdor raising a child alone.”

What Arthur didn’t know was that the father left as soon as it was discovered that Morgana and Arthur were siblings, refusing to claim a Pendragon child as his own. He didn’t care that Morgana was a witch and had been forced into hiding. The Pendragon connection was too much. She’d explained this one afternoon while Arthur was busy with training, making Merlin swear a vow of secrecy on the matter to protect her brother’s feelings. He already felt guilty that she’d had to flee Camelot all those years ago, even if her exile had been beyond his control.

“It’s not right, to just walk out on your family for no reason,” Arthur continued. “If this was my baby, you’d have to get an army to drag me away from Morgana’s side.”

“Which Leon and I had to do this afternoon so that Gaius and the midwife could conduct a private examination.”

“Private doesn’t exclude family, Merlin. Which I am. I know ladies sometimes break wind and she’s been nauseous around us several times since she got back. Anyway, we grew up together. I’ve seen her in her shift on more than one occasion.”

“You do realize that for some of those exams the midwife needs to check her… inside.”

“Of course, she’d check her inside. It wouldn’t be private if they went into the courtyard, now would it? What does that have to do with shutting me out of the room?”

Merlin knew Arthur could sometimes be dense about matters relating to bodies, though he’d gotten better about it after their relationship had taken a more intimate turn. Still, it never failed to amuse him when his lover missed something so glaringly obvious.

“No, dollophead, I don’t mean inside of the castle. I mean inside of Morgana.”

Merlin waited patiently.

“Using magic?”

“No. Using… fingers.”

“_Oh_! You mean…”

“Yes.”

“Inside of her…”

“Yes.”

“So that’s why she threw the goblet at me.”

“Yes.”

“Oh gods. I can’t believe I said that I needed to see everything when Gaius was shoving me towards the door. You should’ve shut me up.”

“I tried.”

“Well next time use magic if necessary. I can’t believe I…”

Still wrapped around him, Merlin could feel Arthur’s body heat rising. He had a strong suspicion the king’s face was turning a deep shade of red.

“It’s ok. She knows you’re a thick knight. Now enough about Morgana. There are other matters we need to attend to.”

“Such as?”

Merlin let the hand clasped around Arthur’s waist wander a little lower. Arthur turned to face him.

“You can’t be serious. Now is not the time. Not after talking about Morgana’s… bits and… I can’t...”

Merlin cut him off by pressing his lips to Arthur’s, using the distraction to roll him on his back so that Merlin could ease his body on top.

“I am so sorry,” Merlin teased as he finally broke off the kiss. “I was being insensitive.”

He felt Arthur’s arms wrap around him, keeping him from pulling away.

“Now clearly isn’t the time,” he continued, strategically shifting his hips, “for such distractions. You have important matters of…”

And then Arthur’s mouth was covering his and all thoughts of Morgana were forgotten.

****

Hours later, a thoroughly-sated Arthur was fast asleep, though Merlin remained awake, lost in thought. The last six months had brought more change to Camelot than the past twenty years. Uther’s death had left Arthur unsure in his role as king, leading to many a night with Arthur and Merlin sharing a bed as the new monarch sought Merlin’s advice and reassurance in the dark.

Though he’d pined after Arthur for years, Merlin had assumed nothing would come of his feelings until a letter arrived from Morgana, revealing her magic, her pregnancy, and her family ties to Arthur. That night they’d huddled together in Merlin’s bed, Arthur trying to gather his courage to allow Morgana to return. It had led to further revelations, as Merlin’s secrets regarding both magic and Arthur came to light, and he learned his affections weren’t actually unrequited after all.

So here they were, six months later. Merlin now lived in Arthur’s chambers, the people largely recognizing him as the king’s consort, even if they weren’t yet married. The ban on magic had been rescinded. And Morgana was back, due to give birth to the next Pendragon in less than a month.

There had, of course, been some difficulties along the way. Merlin had no doubt that Arthur loved him, but that didn’t mean that they always got along, their usual familiar bickering escalating from time to time. Merlin’s refusal to relinquish his role as manservant to the king had spawned more than a few heated arguments, the most recent one about a month ago.

“But Merlin, you shouldn’t be cleaning up after me. That kind of work is better suited for…”

“I’ve done your laundry for upwards of a decade and half. Be careful with how you finish that sentence.”

“It’s just that people will think…”

“I don’t care what people think. I don’t want pageantry or some official title. Besides, I’m the one who takes care of you.”

“Yes, but I want to take care of you. I was awful to you for years. Let me make it up to you.”

“Fine. But not with a promotion.”

“Then how…? Oh.”

Merlin wasn’t entirely sure about the ethics of shutting down arguments by taking Arthur to bed, but honestly, neither of them seemed to care and they were both happy. Let the philosophers mull that one over, was Merlin’s stance. He’d much rather be wrapped up in the sheets with Arthur.

The biggest fights were between the Pendragon siblings.

Arthur was ecstatic to have Morgana back and the first week went relatively well. She’d told them stories about the years she’d spent living with the Druids, Iseldir’s band offering her shelter from both Uther and her half-sister, Morgause.

“I thought she’d be a connection to my mother,” Morgana had explained, “but she only wanted to turn me into a weapon.”

Merlin knew Arthur felt hurt that neither he nor Morgana had told him about her magic before she left.

“We didn’t want to put you in a position of choosing between either of us or your father,” Merlin had explained to him later that night.

“There wouldn’t have been a choice,” Arthur snapped back, fixing Merlin with a look that made him filled him with shame for ever having doubted Arthur’s loyalties in the past.

The honeymoon phase between the siblings began to decline after the first week. As Morgana met with Gaius and the midwife to discuss the progression of her pregnancy, Arthur increasingly accompanied her, inserting himself in her affairs often without an invitation.

“You’re not eating any meat.” He’d insisted she join him and Merlin for at least one meal each day. “Gaius said yesterday that you need to get plenty of protein to help the baby grow.”

Merlin could see where this was headed and tried to interject.

“I think we should let Morgana choose her own food. Remember, Gaius also said that her stomach would be unsettled and…”

“Hush, Merlin. This is partially your fault because you brought up the food. You know she needs to eat better. Here, Morgana, take my ham.”

He speared it with a knife and held it out to her.

“Arthur, if you bring that ham any closer, I will vomit on your boots.”

“No, you won’t. You’re just being dramatic. Now take it.”

“I’ll show you dramatic,” she’d muttered, her eyes glowing golden just before the water pitcher hovered in the air to drop its contents on Arthur’s lap. She then marched out of the room, her magic slamming the door behind her.

“So as I mentioned before,” Merlin said, “it might be best to let her choose her own meals.”

The look Arthur gave him could’ve caused a wyvern to fall from the sky.

Things only intensified from there.

After he’d learned Morgana had gone on a few lazy afternoon rides, Arthur gave all the stable hands strict orders not to provide her with a horse. This led to a shouting match that likely had been heard as far away as the Perilous Lands.

“What if you fall off? You might lose the child.”

“Arthur Pendragon, I have always been a better rider than you and for you to imply that I can’t stay on a horse…”

“Even if you don’t fall, you know the jostling can’t be good for the baby. What if you shake up its insides? Or something?”

Merlin later found Morgana in an empty storeroom, crying in frustration. He felt so bad for her that he arranged for Kilgharrah to take her on the occasional flight when the king was distracted with matters of state and wouldn’t notice her sneaking out of the castle.

“It’s not a horse,” he’d told her, “so it’s not as though we’ve gone against the king’s directive.”

Unfortunately, Kilgharrah had a flair for the dramatic and the secret flights didn’t stay unnoticed for long. To say that Arthur had been livid when he found out was an understatement, Merlin’s argument that a smooth flight would be less taxing than the bouncing of a horse doing nothing to ease the king’s anger.

“We both have magic, Arthur. Even if she’d fallen, I wouldn’t have let any harm come to her.”

Arthur scowled but ultimately relented on his prohibition on Morgana riding the palace horses, perhaps recognizing that a gentle walk on an elderly mare posed far less danger than a dragon doing barrel rolls for her amusement.

Merlin had genuinely feared for Gwaine’s life the day Arthur caught him sparring with Morgana on the training ground. The two had become close friends since her return and were often in each other’s company. While this had initially sparked a few speculative rumors, Percival and Morgana had quickly shut those down. Morgana simply wanted a strong ally against Arthur’s meddling and someone willing to indulge her in a bit of fun even as her pregnancy progressed.

On this particular day, she and Gwaine were using blunted swords to spar. Neither of them were really putting that much effort into their maneuvers, playing around more than anything else. 

Merlin had been walking with Arthur, enjoying the simple pleasure of holding his lover’s hand in public, when they’d spotted Morgana and Gwaine.

“I am going to kill him,” the king muttered, dropping Merlin’s hand to reach for his sword.

“Arthur, I don’t think it’s a good idea to…”

But the king had already taken off at a run, charging at Gwaine as if he were a Saxon rather than a trusted friend.

“If you hurt the child…” Arthur started to yell before the wind was knocked out of him.

Merlin couldn’t help but be impressed with Morgana’s mastery of the stunning spell he’d been teaching her. Arthur toppled to the ground before he made it within ten feet of Gwaine.

“I’m not your broodmare, Arthur,” she shouted at the king before storming off to her chambers with Gwen following close behind. In all the years he’d known her, Merlin had never seen his friend give anyone such a piercing scowl as the one she directed at Arthur as she rushed by to catch up with Morgana.

“Why is Morgana being like this?” Arthur had asked him that night as they lay in bed together, his head resting on Merlin’s chest.

“Because you’re being unreasonable.” Merlin had gently wrapped his arms around Arthur, careful not to bump the places Morgana had left him bruised. “You’re treating her like a prisoner.”

“I’m not. But she refuses to be careful. It’s as if she doesn’t understand that she could get hurt or that something could go wrong.”

“I think,” Merlin began, allowing his fingers to thread through Arthur’s hair, “that she’s fully aware of the risks associated with pregnancy. She’s tired of being trapped inside. Remember how out of sorts you were when you hurt your leg last year and you had to stay in bed for a week? Now imagine months of that. And once the baby gets here, she won’t have much free time. She probably just wanted an afternoon of fun before things get busy.”

“I suppose you have a point,” Arthur conceded. “I still don’t know what she meant by the broodmare comment.”

Merlin considered how to tactfully respond.

“Think about all the times you’ve criticized her actions. You always talk about your fears for the baby. Morgana might be under the impression that you want an heir more than you want a sister.”

He knew this was the case because it was exactly what Morgana had told him when he’d gone to check on her that evening. None of his reassurances could convince her otherwise.

“That’s ridiculous,” Arthur said. “I want them both to be healthy.”

“But think about your words. You always mention danger to the child, but not to Morgana.”

“Oh.”

“You’ll need to go talk to her in the morning.”

“Can I send you instead?”

“That’s probably not the best way to handle this.”

“I suppose you’re right.”

They lay together in silence, Merlin continuing to wind his fingers through Arthur’s hair.

“She is getting better with her magic,” Arthur eventually said. “I’m glad she has a way to protect herself, though I wish she hadn’t knocked me on my ass.”

“Aw… poor you.”

“It hurts!”

“Shall I kiss it and make it better?”

He realized what he said half a second after it left his mouth.

“Are you offering?” Arthur teased.

“What if I am?” he retorted, the darkness making him bold.

Merlin shifted Arthur off him, then began trailing kisses down his neck. The sound of a sharp intake of breath was all the encouragement he needed to keep going. If they were late the next morning, no one said anything about it. The council had pretty much come to expect a late arrival from the king.

After finally escaping from what felt like endless meetings, Merlin found himself sitting in Morgana’s chambers, listening to Arthur stumble through an apology.

“I know I’ve overstepped my bounds. I just don’t want what happened to my mother to happen to you,” he said in closing.

“Arthur.” It was all Morgana could choke out before she started crying. Arthur hugged her close, the moment so tender that Merlin wondered if he should leave. Just as he was about to go, Morgana reached for him, pulling him into the hug. A few minutes passed before she let go.

“Here, give me your hands.” Grabbing their wrists, she pressed Merlin and Arthur’s palms against her belly.

There it was – gentle movement underneath the fabric of Morgana’s dress.

He watched Arthur’s eyes grow big.

“Was that…?”

She smiled and nodded.

“He’s so strong,” Arthur whispered, his voice tight.

“Yes. She is,” Morgana replied.

They sat there for several minutes, Morgana’s hands resting on top of theirs, until the baby stopped kicking.

After that day, Arthur seemed to make an effort at being less critical of Morgana’s actions. There were times, Merlin supposed, when Arthur still came across as overbearing, such as today when she’d gone walking along the ramparts with Gwaine and Percival. Still, things were going far smoother than he’d expected.

****

About two weeks later, Merlin awoke to the sound of Gwen’s frantic knocking.

“It’s time,” she said when he opened the door.

“We’ll be right there.”

As Gwen dashed off to tend to Morgana, Merlin went to rouse Arthur.

“Too early,” the king groaned as Merlin jostled his shoulder.

“It’s time. The baby’s coming.”

In all his years of waking the king, Merlin had never seen Arthur rise so quickly. He couldn’t help but laugh as Arthur tripped trying to put on his breeches.

“This is serious, Merlin. Stop laughing and help me.”

A few minutes later they were both dressed and racing toward Morgana’s chambers. It didn’t take long to reach their destination, the king having insisted that her rooms be located close to his own.

“You should knock,” Merlin said as Arthur reached for the door handle.

“Who are you to lecture anyone on knocking?” Arthur retorted, as he pushed the door open and stepped inside.

Merlin knew he’d made the right decision to momentarily wait in the corridor when Arthur re-emerged less than a minute later, his face beet red.

“Gaius was performing an exam,” he explained to Merlin. “We should wait here until they call us. Stop smirking like that.”

It took all of Merlin’s self-restraint not to say “I told you so.”

Half an hour passed before Gwen invited them inside. By that point Gwaine and Percival had joined their entourage.

“We saw Leon on the way,” Gwaine told the king. “He volunteered to handle the day’s administration and said he’d call you if anything needed your immediate attention.”

“That was noble of him,” Arthur replied.

“Ha! He’s a bit squeamish when it comes to the hidden secrets of ladies.”

“That’s not entirely true,” Merlin heard Gwen mutter. A blush crept over her face when she realized he’d heard her.

“Shouldn’t you be lying down?” Arthur asked as Morgana paced around the room.

“It’s perfectly alright, sire,” Gaius jumped in before Morgana found the words to match the glare she’d leveled at her brother. “The movement is good for her and may help ease some of the discomfort.”

Arthur was about to offer a counterargument when Merlin cut him off in a desperate attempt to change the subject.

“Where’s the midwife?”

“She was called away last night to attend to a woman in the Lower Town. If the she doesn’t make it back in time, I’ll need you and Gwen to assist me.”

“Merlin?! Assist you with the birth? Can he do that?” Arthur sounded shocked Gaius would suggest such a thing.

“He’s done so several times in the past, sire.”

Arthur and the knights stared at Merlin as though seeing him for the first time.

“I told you I had many talents,” Merlin said as Arthur pulled him into a tight embrace.

“Alright, Morgana,” Arthur began after finally releasing Merlin, “we’re all here. You can have the baby now.”

It was sorely tempting to let the goblet Morgana hurled reach its target but Merlin knew Arthur probably didn’t need any blows to the head on a day when Gaius was so preoccupied.

“I’ll never forgive you, Merlin,” she said in response to the shield charm he’d used to deflect it.

“These things take time, sire,” Gaius tried to explain.

“How much time?”

“As much as is necessary. Babies arrive when they will.”

The next few hours passed slowly. George delivered food after Arthur refused to let Merlin leave.

“You’re helping Gaius, Merlin. You can’t just run off to the kitchens for fun.”

The time dragged by, with Arthur’s constant pacing fraying the nerves of everyone in the room.

“It would be better for Morgana’s progress if you remained seated, sire,” Gaius chided him. “And stop drumming your fingers on the table.”

Gwaine tried telling jokes until angry looks from Morgana, Gaius, and Arthur shut him up. Merlin helped Gaius as best he could, shuffling the cohort of knights in and out of the room so the physician could perform periodic checks of Morgana’s progress. Percival proved to be surprisingly skilled at assisting Gwen. He knew when to apply cool cloths to Morgana’s forehead without being told, tied her hair back with the skill of an experienced maidservant, and offered his arm for support when she needed to walk around to cope with the labor pains.

“Gaius says she’s ready to push,” Merlin told Arthur and the knights as he went to retrieve them after a final examination.

“Does that mean the baby’s coming?” Gwaine asked.

“It does,” Merlin replied, smiling at how his friend’s face lit up at the news. “Come on. Arthur, Morgana says you can hold her hand.”

Gwaine and Percival shuffled quickly into the birthing chamber while Arthur held back, gripping onto Merlin so that he couldn’t leave.

“Arthur, we have to go. Gaius needs me to…”

“She’ll be alright, won’t she?”

It was barely a whisper, so low that no one else could’ve heard the fear in Arthur’s voice.

“Hey,” Merlin said, turning to meet Arthur’s worried eyes, “Gaius is here and he’s delivered lots of healthy babies. He’ll do everything in his power to get her through. And so will I. You know how I’ve been working on my healing spells – I wanted to be ready, just in case.”

Arthur blinked back tears. “Thank you. I know I’m being stupid. I just…”

“Shh… It’s ok. She’s your sister and you love her. But right now she needs both of us back in that room. So come on. Oh, and try not to be too offended by anything she says until the baby arrives.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.”

To say that the final stages of Morgana’s labor were pleasant would be a lie of epic proportions. Gaius’ herbs and Merlin’s magic could only do so much to offset the pain. All through it, Morgana provided a running commentary of the faults of many of the men she’d known throughout her life, saving the most scathing words for Uther and the baby’s father. She described in precise and explicit detail what she would do to them if they were in the room, causing the assembled knights to go pale. Merlin had expected such an outburst but Arthur especially seemed a bit taken aback by her specific plans for certain parts of her former lover’s anatomy.

Gwaine managed to redeem himself from his earlier attempts at humor when he offered heartfelt praise for her mastery of the use of profanity. And Arthur and Percival endured valiantly as she squeezed their hands throughout her ordeal. Merlin watched, half amused and half concerned, as Arthur tried not to flinch at her tight grip.

But then he had to leave Arthur to endure on his own, as Gaius barked a steady stream of orders at Merlin and Gwen.

“I can see the head,” Gaius finally announced, earning cheers from the assembled spectators and another burst of expletives from the expectant mother.

“Not much longer,” Gaius tried to reassure her.

“Don’t think I won’t hex the aged,” Morgana grunted through gritted teeth. “Get this thing out of me!”

“You’re doing fine,” Gaius replied calmly. “Just remember the deep breathing techniques we talked about. You’re almost through the worst of it.”

Despite her obvious distress, Morgana gave Merlin a pointed stare and jerked her head in her brother’s direction.

“Gwaine, take over for Arthur,” Merlin called, gesturing for Arthur to come join him.

“What…”

“You’re going to catch the baby,” Gwen explained.

“But… I’m not… I’ll see your… I can’t…”

“You can and you will, Arthur Pendragon, or Merlin’s going to have to arrange a funeral for your bollocks before the day is over.”

“I wouldn’t test her,” Gwaine said as he replaced Arthur at Morgana’s side. “I think she means it.”

A stunned Arthur made his way to stand by Merlin.

“Please try to keep out of the way, sire,” said an exasperated Gaius. “I’ll let you know when we need you.”

It was somewhat endearing, Merlin decided, how Arthur tried to look anywhere but at Morgana. Still, he worried that Arthur might pass out when Gaius finally called him over.

“It’s time, sire.”

Arthur gulped and gave Merlin a quick glance, then squared his shoulders like the knight he was, bravely crossing the five paces that separated him from Gaius. Merlin’s view was obscured but it didn’t matter – he and Gwen still had work to do, frantically gathering the final supplies that Gaius would need.

And then he heard it – a loud groan from Morgana followed by a piercing wail.

“Oh gods, she’s perfect,” Arthur whispered as he held his niece for the first time.

“Here let’s get her cleaned up.”

Magic came in handy during times like these, the umbilical cord easily dealt with. Soon Merlin had the baby swaddled in a blanket and back in Arthur’s arms, freeing Gaius to finish tending to Morgana.

“She’s so small,” Arthur whispered as he took her from Merlin. “How can she be so small?”

Merlin thought his heart might melt right then and there as Arthur began to rock back and forth, humming softly for a few minutes.

“Your bollocks still aren’t safe, Arthur. Give me my daughter.”

Morgana’s face betrayed her harsh tone. She was just as taken with Arthur’s tender gestures as Merlin was.

“Yeah, princess,” Gwaine chimed in. “Hand her over.”

Gently, Arthur passed the baby to his sister’s outstretched arms.

“This is your family,” Morgana whispered. “You have the absolute sweetest aunt, loads of uncles to spoil you, and the best grandfather anyone could ask for. Your mother is a mess, little one, but I swear to you that I will burn the world if anyone tries to hurt you.”

If anyone claimed to have a dry eye, they were lying.

****

Over the next few hours, Camelot’s newest Pendragon met her extended family. Gwaine had insisted that she had his eyes and had started referring to her as his baby. No amount of threats from Morgana could convince him to stop.

“Yes, yes, hex and curse me. But you can still list my name as the father in Geoffrey’s record book.”

“You’d do that? Won’t Percival mind? People might think…”

“Forget people. We’ve been talking about it for months now. Although I’m not marrying you. We draw the line there.”

“Well thank the Triple Goddess for that, because I wouldn’t marry you either.”

Merlin watched as they both tried to hold back tears but failed.

Leon melted when the baby’s tiny hand tightly gripped his finger, while Elyan and Lancelot marveled at the power of her lungs. Fortunately, Percival proved to be extremely skilled at soothing her cries. Even George dropped by with a small blanket that he’d personally embroidered with dragons.

“I’d be happy to give you lessons in sewing,” he offered when Merlin expressed admiration of it.

“That’s very kind of you but I… um… have to help Arthur.”

“I’m sure you do,” George replied with a friendly smirk.

Magic or not, Merlin had little control over the blush he felt warming his face. When had George gotten so bold?

Finally, Gwen and Gaius chased everyone out of the room.

“The mother and child need to rest. As do I,” Gaius told them. “You can all come back tomorrow. Now get out.”

Even Camelot’s king wilted under the stare the physician leveled at them and the group dispersed.

****

Later that night, Arthur and Merlin lay curled together in bed. It had, from Merlin’s perspective, been a perfect day and he’d like nothing more than to drift off in his lover’s arms. Arthur, however, still had much to say.

“We’ve got to find her the best tutors and she’ll need lots of clothes. We’ll have to get her a horse. She probably should start with a pony. I wonder if they make armor for babies. Do you think Elyan would go back to the forge to craft her a sword? Oh, and she needs a name, Merlin. I can’t believe Morgana hadn’t decided on a name. We should go see them right now. You’ll have to think of a name on the way.”

“Arthur, shh… Right now they’re sleeping. Morgana will choose a name soon enough but I’m pretty sure she’ll curse your bollocks off if we bother her tonight.”

“But…”

“No buts.”

Arthur sighed dramatically.

“Why hasn’t Morgana chosen a name?” the king asked. “I told her I wouldn’t object if she used Ygraine, but you know how she never listens to reason.”

Though Arthur was trying to laugh it off, Merlin could hear a sadness creeping through. He knew the answer because Morgana had taken him aside to talk about it several times over the past few weeks. She didn’t want to hurt her brother and had been trying to find ways to soften the blow.

“It’s not a snub at you, Arthur. She wants her daughter to be free from the burdens of the past. Which isn’t to say that your mother was a burden,” Merlin added quickly. “But there’s been so much heartache and tragedy... Morgana wants this baby to be part of the new Camelot that you’re building.”

“More like we’re building. You know I couldn’t do this by myself.”

“That’s not true.”

“It really is.” Arthur tightened his embrace to emphasize the point.

Merlin decided not to argue the point any further and instead enjoy the sensation of Arthur’s arm holding him tight.

“In that case,” Arthur finally said after a long silence, “we’ll have to work extra hard to make our kingdom worthy of her. I was thinking about issuing a resolution allowing capable women to join the knights. What do you think?”

“I think Percival will have to keep a close eye on Gwaine. The man is beyond noble, but he’s also a shameless flirt and he’s going to get throttled by both the lady knights and Percival before it’s all said and done. But otherwise, I think it’s a solid plan.”

“Good. Then tomorrow you can get started writing the draft of the resolution. Be sure to make me sound wise and eloquent like you always do.”

“A servant’s work is never done.”

“If…” Arthur started but then paused. “If I start to become like him, you’ll stop me, right?”

“Like Gwaine? Because from what I saw today, Gwaine is a pretty good role model to emulate.”

“No, not like Gwaine. Like my father. I don’t know how to be a good uncle. What if I start to treat Morgana’s baby the way he treated me and Morgana…”

“Arthur, under no circumstances do I think you’ll ever be like Uther. You don’t need to worry about…”

“But think of how I’ve already tried to control Morgana. If you weren’t there to…”

“Hush. The fact that you’re even thinking about this shows that you’re a far better man than he ever was.”

“But if I do…”

“Then Morgana and I both will be here to protect the child and you from yourself. Not that it will ever be an issue. You’re going to be a brilliant uncle, Arthur. The only thing Morgana will have to worry about is you spoiling her daughter.”

That seemed to have eased some of Arthur’s fears, or at least given him something to think about, as he offered no response.

Merlin had almost drifted off when he felt Arthur shift behind him, repositioning his body to rest his chin on Merlin’s shoulder.

“Thank you,” Arthur whispered, his breath warm against Merlin’s ear. “None of this would’ve happened without you. You saved Morgana. You saved me. And now I have this family and…”

Merlin felt Arthur’s arm tense as he paused to take a deep breath.

“I’ve been thinking,” Arthur began.

“Oh gods. We’re in trouble.”

“Shut up and let me finish. I’ve been thinking that it’s time.”

He waited for Arthur to continue. After a moment he realized that nothing else seemed to be forthcoming.

“Time for what?”

“Time for us. To formalize things.”

Merlin had known Arthur long enough to have a solid guess as to what the man was hinting at. Still, there was no room for ambiguity with these sorts of things.

“Meaning?”

“Meaning that I’m better when I’m with you.”

It was growing quite warm under the blankets, heat radiating off of Arthur.

“Obviously.” Merlin tried for humor, hoping it would help ease some of his lover’s rising tension.

“What I’m trying to say is… It’s time for me to marry you.”

Merlin inhaled sharply. They’d been dancing around the topic for months now and he was definitely amenable. Still… Arthur was going to have to do better than that.

“You know, it is customary to ask.”

“Yes, but when have we ever followed custom? And anyway, you’d say yes. I’m pretty sure. Maybe.”

Despite Arthur’s attempts at nonchalance, Merlin could hear the uncertain undertones creeping into his voice, but he refused to relent.

“If you really want to know, you’ll have to ask.”

“Fine. Will you?”

“Will I what? Fetch your breakfast? Wash your socks? Single-handedly write the best trade agreement that’s ever existed with Nemeth? You’ll need to refine your question if you want an answer.”

“Now you’re just being difficult.”

“Yes, but when have I ever been easy?”

“I’d say the night before last. That thing you did with your tongue gave the patrons of the Rising Sun a lot to think about. You even made Gwaine blush. Though Percival says to thank you for the inspiration that you provided.”

“Yes, well. That’s beside the point.”

“Which is?”

“There’s something you’re supposed to be asking me.”

“Ah. That. You’re really going to make me…?”

“Yes. I am.”

Arthur sighed dramatically against Merlin’s neck

“Very well. Since you insisted. Merlin of Ealdor, for reasons I can’t begin to explain, I love you with all my heart. Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband… please?”

Arthur’s voice shook but he got the words out.

“Of course, you cabbage head,” Merlin choked, fighting back his own tears.

They lay in stunned silence, the reality of what just happened settling in.

“So… when do you want to…?”

Arthur cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

“How about tomorrow?”

Merlin considered this.

“Tomorrow?”

“Why not?”

“Well for one thing your niece will only be a day old.”

“Yes, and we’ll be setting an example of positive role models in her life.”

“Arthur, people don’t have to be married to be good…”

“Hush, Merlin. Stop questioning my rationale. We can hold the ceremony in Morgana’s chambers. Everyone will be there anyway to visit the baby. We’ll just need Geoffrey to say a few words and…”

“But don’t you want something more formal? And public?”

“Oh, I think we’ve been plenty enough public. If I wasn’t king, we’d likely be on the tavern’s list of banned patrons. And anyway, I’d rather have it be a family-only affair. I know there’s a time for pomp and ceremony, but that’s for affairs of state – not us. Although that won’t give your mother time to get here. Damn it.”

Merlin considered this for a moment.

“Do you seriously want to get married tomorrow?”

“Yes.”

“Alright,” he said, extracting himself from Arthur’s embrace. “But you’ll have to get yourself out of bed and dressed in the morning. Try not to be late. I’ll meet you in Morgana’s chambers before noon.”

And with that Merlin shimmied into his clothes and slipped out of their shared chambers, leaving his stunned king behind.

****

Being a dragonlord came with great responsibility but also some definite benefits, an efficient mode of transportation chief amongst them. Though Kilgharrah complained about Merlin’s midnight summons, “I’m not a horse, Merlin,” he seemed more amused than annoyed.

The sky was still dark when they reached Ealdor, causing Merlin to hesitate before knocking on the door of his mother’s house. It took a moment to assure Hunith that nothing was wrong but that it was absolutely vital she quickly pack a bag and join him for a flight back to Camelot.

“I’ll explain on the way,” he told her, “but we have to hurry.”

The journey was uneventful but it took time, the morning quickly on the way to becoming afternoon when Kilgharrah touched down in the castle courtyard. No one seemed all that surprised – the people of Camelot had rapidly adapted to the changes accompanying Arthur’s reign. A large dragon arriving to deliver Merlin was just another Wednesday as far as many were concerned.

“Shouldn’t I change?” his mother asked as they rushed up the stairs.

“You look lovely,” he said. “But if we keep Arthur waiting much longer, he’ll start to think I’ve backed out. You are ok with this, aren’t you? You didn’t seem all that surprised when I told you what we’re doing.”

“Merlin, I knew the pair of you were meant for each other years ago when he helped the village fight off Kanen’s men. Honestly, the only thing that surprises me about this whole affair is that you didn’t do it sooner. To be completely frank, sometimes I forget that you’re not already married.”

When they reached Morgana’s chambers, Hunith stopped Merlin before he could open the door, hugging him tightly.

“I’m thrilled for the both of you,” she whispered. “Now let’s go find your husband.”

“Husband-to-be.”

“Right.”

****

The ceremony was very short, but very sweet, Arthur insisting that Geoffrey forgo the traditional royal ceremony and instead read from an alternate script.

“I wrote it myself,” Arthur whispered loudly to Merlin.

“Does that mean I can stop writing your speeches and correspondence?”

“Not on your life. It’s just like you to be lazy on our wedding day.”

“Lazy? I’ll have you know that if I hadn’t revised that letter you sent to Mercia, we’d likely be facing a war right now over…”

“Ahem,” Morgana interjected as their arguing woke the baby. “While I’m happy you finally got your life together, Arthur, my baby needs to eat and sleep. Maybe you can hurry up with the ceremony and save the bickering for after?”

Morgana held her daughter out to Percival, who continued to impress the crowd with his skills in quieting the crying infant.

Geoffrey squinted at the parchment a few times as if to confirm the words written on the page.

“Do you, Arthur Pendragon, vow to love this man, to support and respect him, and to protect him from his own stupidity should the need arise?”

“I do.” Arthur’s face was pale but his voice was strong.

“And do you, Merlin of Ealdor, vow to love this man, to support and respect him, and to protect him from his own stupidity should the need arise?”

It was what Merlin had been doing pretty much since he’d arrived in Camelot. This shouldn’t be a big deal, he thought to himself, and yet having it formally recognized almost undid him.

“Of course, I do.” His voice cracked but he kept smiling at Arthur just the same.

“Then I now pronounce you married. You may kiss each other,” he squinted again at the parchment, “within the limits of propriety. Please remember that there is a small child in the room.”

Of all the kisses they’d shared thus far, this one was definitely the most chaste. And yet Merlin felt as though his knees were going to buckle, Arthur’s embrace the only thing keeping him upright.

The assembled crowd broke into cheers. They were showered with hugs and well-wishes, Morgana affording them a few minutes to celebrate before threatening to hex everyone in the room if they didn’t leave.

“Except Hunith, Percival, and Gwen. You’re all welcome to stay. Gaius, go get some sleep. The rest of you… get lost.”

“But…” Gwaine began to protest, “my daughter...”

“Will be staying with you later so her mother can get some much needed rest. I’d suggest taking a nap while you can.”

The afternoon and evening passed in a blur. The council needed to be told, some proclamations were made, and Gwaine insisted on celebratory drinks at the tavern, though he only had the one, the responsibilities of fatherhood already settling in.

“Treat him right, princess,” Gwaine told Arthur as they sat at a table in the Rising Sun, “or you’ll have to deal with the dragon _and _me.”

Merlin was confused. “What’s this about the dragon?”

“Kilgharrah, might, um, have had a few words for me this afternoon,” Arthur explained.

“He said that if your husband treats you badly, he’ll eat him,” Gwaine filled in.

“I’m sure he was joking,” Merlin tried to reassure Arthur.

“Maybe,” Arthur said, sounding not all that convinced.

****

“Was it alright?” Arthur asked that night as they lay in bed. “I’m not the best with feelings, especially in public, and I didn’t have a lot of time to write something long. I know you deserved better, but the traditional ceremony is more about an exchange of power than…”

“It was perfect,” Merlin interrupted. “To the point and not at all stuffy.”

“I’m sorry I forgot about the rings.”

“Shh… we both did. We can sort it tomorrow.”

“If we have time. There’s the petitioners, followed by the guild leaders’ meeting, and then…”

“About that. I might have taken the liberty of cancelling all your official meetings for the next week.”

“You did what?! Not that I’m necessarily complaining, but why?”

“Well, for starters, I thought you might like to spend some time with the baby. Morgana says she’s narrowed her list of names down to two and so you might need to attend a naming ceremony.”

“Fair point.”

“And my mother’s here. We haven’t seen her in ages, so it could be nice to visit with her.”

“Makes sense.”

“And there are… other ways… of formalizing a marriage that we haven’t yet attended to. Those might keep you occupied for some time.”

“What do you mean by ‘other ways’?”

“Let me show you,” Merlin said, positioning his body strategically against Arthur’s.

“We… we probably should see to that,” Arthur gasped in response. “Right away I should think.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more.”


End file.
